ick, and derive their
beauty from the diversity in the situation of the bricks. The one
nearest the city is the smaller, and appears perfect, it is likewise
provided with a staircase: the larger one is broken at the top of the
capital.

_26th_.--I went to see Mahmoud of Ghuznee's tomb, which is situated in a
largish and better than ordinarily built village, about two miles from
the Cabul gate, on the road to Cabul, at a portion of the valley densely
occupied with gardens. The situation is bad, and the building which
appears irregular, quite unworthy of notice; it is situated among the
crowded houses of the village, and to be found, must be enquired for.

At the entrance of the obscure court-yard which leads to it, there is a
fine rivulet that comes gushing from under some houses, shaded by fine
mulberry trees; in this court are some remains of Hindoo sculpture in
marble; the way there leads past an ordinary room under some narrow
cloisters to the right, then turning to the left one enters another
court, on the north side of which is the entrance to the tomb; there is
no architectural ornament at all about it, either inside or out. The
room is an ordinary one, occupied towards the centre by a common old
looking tomb of white marble, overhung by lettered tapestry, and
decorated with a tiger skin: over the entrance, hang three eggs of the
ostrich, for which the natives have the very appropriate name of camel
bird, and two shells, like the Hindoo conches, but smaller. The roof is
in bad order, and appears to have been carved. The doors appear old;
they are much carved, but the carvings are effaced; they are not
remarkable for size, beauty, or mass; and appear to be cut from some fir
wood, although the people say they are sandal wood. The tomb strikingly
confirms the idea that the Putans became improved through their
connection with Hindoostanees, rather than the reverse; the tomb is
unworthy of a great conqueror.

I then ascended the ridge, and descended along it to the picquets on the
flank of our camp. This ridge, like all the low ones from Mookhloor to
this place, is rounded, very shingly, and generally on the northern face,
is partly covered with rocks, apparently limestone. The vegetation
presents nothing unusual, with the exception of a very large Cnicus,
Cnicoideus zamiafolius, capitulis parvis, an Umbellifera, a Scutellaria,
Dipsacus; otherwise they are thinly scattered with two or three
Astragali, two or